Weft cutter control apparatus

ABSTRACT

An improved weft cutter support for shuttleless looms, which in timed relation to the insertion and beat-up of each pick of weft is effective in simultaneously moving the cutter in a lateral direction to position it in close proximity with the fabric edge while lowering the cutter through rotary movement of the support to position it for reception of the weft and the performance of its intended function.

United States Patent 1191 Budzyna 1 51 Aug. 12, 1975 1 1 WEFT CUTTER CONTROL APPARATUS [75] inventor: Edward S. Budzyna, E. Douglas,

Mass.

[73] Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: July 10. 1974 21 1 Appl. No; 487,005

52 11.8. C1. 139/302 51 Int. c1. D03D 47/36 [58] Field of Search 139/122 R, 122 w, 123,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,654,399 10/1953 Berry et a1. 139/127 2,921,611 l/l960 Budzyna et a1. 139/127 3,621,885 11/1971 Egloff 139/302 3,814,140 6/1974 Serturini 139/302 Primary E.\'uminerHenry S. Jaudon 5 7 ABSTRACT An improved weft cutter support for shuttleless looms, which in timed relation to the insertion and beat-up of each pick of weft is effective in simultaneously moving the cutter in a lateral direction to position it in close proximity with the fabric edge while lowering the cutter through rotary movement of the support to position it for reception of the weft and the performance of its intended function.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 WEFT CUTTER CONTROL APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains to a weft cutter control apparatus for shuttleless looms of the pick and pick type. The control apparatus includes means for moving the cutter into and out of the path of travel of the looms reed and for actuating the same in timed relation to the weaving cycle so as to cut the weft ends substantially closer to the edge of the fabric, from which they extend, than has been heretofore possible.

2. Description of the Prior Art As is well known to those conversant in the weaving art, the formation of fabric by the so-called pick and pick system in shuttleless looms to which the present invention is applicable, the weft thread, from its source, remains threaded through an eyelet in the back wall of the inserting carrier such as is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,288. Prior to this carriers movement toward the shed to insert a given pick, the weft yarn from its source extends through an eyelet in the back wall of the carrier and to the edge of the fabric where it is connected to the previously inserted pick of weft. When the inserting carrier is caused to move toward the shed to insert the next pick, the weft is guided across the interior of the carrier and into a gripping element which forms a part of the forward wall of said carrier. As this carrier continues to move toward the shed the lay beam and reed supported thereby are being pivoted rearwardly from the position of beat-up of the previously inserted pick. During this time the warp threads are crossing to present a new shed opening and the thread cutter is caused to perform its intended function of cutting the weft at a point intermediate the gripping element on the forward wall of the carrier and the side of the fabric to which it extends. The cutting of the weft in this manner forms a so-called fringe on both sides of the woven fabric with the cut end of the previously inserted pick extending from the weft insertion side of said fabric and the end carried into the shed by the carrier extending from the opposite side of the fabric.

A problem which has existed with shuttleless looms of the single pick insertion type is that of which is considered excessive length of the fringe on the weft insertion side of the fabric and which necessitates an additional fabric finishing operation for cutting off these ends to a desirable and acceptable length.

Known forms of weft cutters are positioned so as to provide clearance between them and the looms reed during the latters movement with the lay to and from weft beat-up position. Very frequently the width of the fabric being woven is less than the length of the looms reed and results in an undesirable length of fringe on the weft insertion side of the fabric.

The weft cutter control apparatus according to the present invention has eliminated the problem of excessive fringe length on the weft insertion side of the fabric and the additional fabric finishing step many mills have considered necessary of shearing said fringe to an acceptable length.

This is accomplished by moving the weft cutter laterally in timed sequence with the movement of the reed from a first position, outside of the path of travel of the reed to a second position in close proximity with the fabric edge, actuating the cutter and then return it to said first position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTlON The weft cutter control apparatus of the present invention includes a horizontally disposed spring biased rod member which is adapted to support the weft cutter adjacent one end thereof. This rod member is supported for longitudinal and rotary movement by a pair of lever members operatively associated with said rod member and which are disposed in spaced relation adjacent the opposite end of the rod. These lever members are operatively connected to individual camcontrolled driving arms which are effective, as the lay and reed are moving rearwardly from beat-up position, in causing simultaneous longitudinal and rotary movement of the rod member. The longitudinal movement laterally shifts the weft cutter from a position clear of the pathway of the reed to a position in close proximity with the edge of the fabric and the rotary movement is effective in lowering the weft cutter to a predetermined position for performing its intended function.

After the weft cutter has severed the weft, as heretofore described, the simultaneous movement of the rod member is reversed and the weft cutter while being raised is moved outwardly from the side of the fabric to its initial position which will clear the reed as the latter and lay beam again move toward the weft beat-up position.

It is general object of the invention to provide a weft cutter control apparatus which is effective in causing the cutter to cut each pick of weft closer to the weft insertion side of the fabric than has been heretofore possible.

A further object of the invention is to provide a weft cutter control apparatus which is effective in causing the cutter to cut each pick of weft so as to form a fringe of pre-determined and acceptable length thereby eliminating the additional fabric finishing operation of shearing said fringe.

These and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparent by reference to the appended claims and as the following detailed description proceeds in reference to the figures of drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the upper righthand side of the shuttleless loom showing the weft cutter control apparatus according to the invention applied thereto,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, showing further detail of the weft cutter control apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 and,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the cam-controlled driving arm and lever for causing longitudinal movement of the rod member on which the weft cutter is carried.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing wherein only as much of conventional shuttleless loom structure is depicted as is necessary to a complete understanding of the invention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a weft control housing generally indicated by numeral 10. This housing is mounted in the usual manner on the upper right-hand side of the loom and has supported for rotation therein a weft control cam shaft 1 I. The ends of this cam shaft 1 l are journaled in the usual bearings supported within housings l2 and 13 respectively which are disposed in spaced and aligned relation at the sides of the weft control housing 10.

A lay beam 14 extends between the loom frames (not shown) and supports a reed 15 through which the warp threads 16 are adapted to pass.

A weft inserting carrier 17 is shown in FIG. 1 and in a known manner is fixed to the end of a flexible tape 18 which moves through a tape guide 19 and which is wrapped about and unwrapped from a tape wheel (not shown) located at the side of the loom.

The cam shaft 11 being supported within the weft control housing 10 is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 by means of bevel gears 20 and 21 shown in FIG. 1. Bevel gear 21 is fixed on cam shaft 11 and is in meshing relation with bevel gear 20 which is fixed on a shaft member 22 that is operatively connected by gear means to the looms cam shaft (notshown).

The weft cutter controlled by the apparatus comprising the present invention is identified generally in FIGS. 1 and 2 by numeral 23 and is carried on one end of a support arm 24. The opposite end of this support arm 24 is in the form of a hub 25 having an integrally formed lug 26 with an adjusting screw 27 assembled in and extending upwardly from the upper surface thereof. The hub 25 of the support arm 24 assembles on and adjacent one end of a rod member 28 which is horizontally supported for longitudinal and rotary movement in a U-shaped bracket member generally indicated in FIG. 2 by numeral 29 and will be more fully described hereinafter.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the weft cutter 23 also includes an arcuated actuating arm 30 which carries a cutter blade (not shown) for sliding movement within a cutter housing 31 that is attached, by any suitable means, on the end of the support arm 24. The opposite end of the actuating arm 30 is in the form of a hub 32 that is fixed on rod member 28 in contiguous relation to hub 25 by means of a cap screw 33. Those ends of the support arm 24 and actuating arm 30 opposite their hubs, are interconnected and biased one toward the other by means of a coil spring 34 (FIG. 2).

The weft cutter is actuated in a known manner by means of a pair of juxtaposed cam members 35 and 36 which are fixed on and caused to rotate with cam shaft 11. A cam follower in the form ofa roller 37 carried on the forward end of a spring biased tappet-like member 38 maintains contact with the outer periphery of cam members 35 and 36. The opposite end of this tappet- Iike member is in frictional contact with a roller element 39 (FIG. 2) which is carried on and disposed'intermediate the ends of an upwardly directed lever 40. The lower end of lever 40 is in the form ofa hub 41 and is fixed on rod member 28 as shown in FIG. 2. The upper end of lever 40 is also provided with a hub 42 within which a pin 43 assembles and serves as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a means for attaching the rearward ends of a pair of coil springs 44 and 45. Extending in a forwardly direction, the opposite ends of these coil springs are attached to a similar pin 46 which is supported in an upwardly directed lug 47 forming an integral part of a bracket 48 that is attached to the weft control housing 10 by means of cap screws 49.

The combination of springs 44 and and lever 40 maintain roller 37 in contact with the outer periphery of either cam member 35 or 36. Cam member 36 is cf fective on the tappet-like member 38 and lever 40 so as to lower the weft cutter 23 to a position where the head of the adjusting screw 27 contacts the underside of a support bracket 50 (FIG. 1). In this position the weft cutter is in position for receiving the weft yarn 51 and continued movement of cam shaft 11 causes cam member 35 to actuate the cutter by moving the actuating arm 30 and its cutter blade (not shown) downwardly within the cutter housing 31.

The means by which the weft cutter is simultaneously moved laterally into close proximity with the side of the fabric while being lowered by the dictates of cam member 36 will now be described.

The U-shaped bracket member 29 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with a forwardly directed and integrally formed arm 52 having slots 53 for attaching said bracket member to one side of the weft control housing 10 by means of cap screws 54. The opposite side of the weft control housing 10 has an arculated support arm 55 assembled thereto by means of cap screws 56 and includes a hub-like end portion 57 within which that end of rod member 28 most remote from the weft cutter assembled thereon is slidably journaled.

Bracket member 29 also includes an integrally formed and rearwardly directed lug element 58 which terminates in a hub 59 and has a bellcrank lever generally indicated by numeral 60, assembled thereon by means of an upwardly directed bolt 61 and nut 62. Bellcrank lever is provided with a bifurcated first arm that defines a yoke 63 in which the opposed surfaces of said yoke have aligned roller members 64 assembled thereto. These roller members 64 are disposed in close proximity with the hub portion of a flanged sleeve 65 that is fixed on rod member 28 and is effective in moving the latter axially in a manner to be more fully described.

Intermediate the flanged sleeve 65 and the hub-like end portion 57 of the support arm 55, rod member 28 has a coil spring 66 assembled thereon which serves to continually urge said rod member in the direction of the indicating arrow 67 in FIG. 2.

The second arm of bellcrank lever 60 is identified by numeral 68 and is disposed for frictional engagement with a roller member 69 which forms one end ofa driving arm 70. Driving arm 70 is slidably supported in the rear wall of the weft control housing 10 and is provided at its forward end with a cam follower in the form of a roller 71. Coil spring 66 is assembled under tension on rod member 28 and the force acting upon sleeve 65 and bellcrank lever 60, in its attempt to continually seek its free length is effective in biasing driving arm 70 in a forwardly direction causing roller 71 to maintain contact with the outer periphery of a cutter control cam 72. As shown in FIG. 1 this cutter control cam 72 is fixed on and caused to rotate with cam shaft 11 and with reference to FIG. 3 said cam is in a position that has caused the driving arm 70 to be moved rearwardly which affects a counter-clockwise movement of the bellcrank lever 60 as viewed in FIG. 1. This movement causes axial movement of the rod member 28 in the direction of the indicating arrow 73 in FIG. 2 and is effective in moving the weft cutter 23 to a position which will clear the reed when the latter is moved to weft beat-up position.

In FIG. 4 the cutter control cam 72 is in a position in which the driving arm 70 has moved forwardly by a clockwise movement of the bellcrank lever 60 as viewed in FIG. 1. This movement is caused by the forces of coil spring 66 acting upon the flanged sleeve 65 and with the latter being fixed on rod member 28 said rod member is caused to move in the direction of the indicating arrow 67 in FIG. 2. Movement of the rod member 28 in this manner moves the weft cutter carried thereon to a position in close proximity with the edge of the fabric that is depicted by numeral 74 in FIG. 1.

A weft positioner rod 75 (FIG. 1) carried by an arm 76 that is attached to the support bracket 50 serves to guide the weft 51 and position it so as to be received into the weft cutter 23 and the gripping means in the forward wall of the carrier 17.

To summarize the operation the lay beam and reed supported thereb'y are caused to be moved to and fro in a well-known manner during the insertion and beat up of each pick of weft. After the beat-up of a given pick the lay beam and reed commence to move rearwardly as the upper and lower sheets of warp threads reverse their positions to form a new shed for the next pick. During this time the weft inserting carrier is moving toward the shed and the dictates of cams 36 and 72 within the weft control housing are effective upon rod member 28 to simultaneously lower the weft cutter 23 to weft receiving position while laterally moving the same to a position in close proximity with the edge of the fabric. When the weft cutter has reached its weft receiving position adjacent the edge of the fabric 74, the inserting carrier is passing a position at which the weft positioner rod 75 is effective in guiding the weft 51 into the gripping device in the forward wall of the carrier and into said weft cutter. At this time the dictates of cam member 35 cause further rotary movement of rod member 28 a distance sufficient to lower actuating arm 30 and the cutter blade carried thereby so as to sever the weft at a point intermediate the carrier and the edge of the fabric where it was connected to the previously inserted pick. The severed end of weft being gripped by the carrier is then carried into the shed and transferred to a companion carrier which extends said weft through the remainder of the shed. Before beat-up of this pick, rod member 28 reverses its direction of movement by simultaneously raising the weft cutter while moving the same laterally to its initial position clear of the path of travel of the reed as the latter moves to its beat-up position.

By moving the weft cutter to a position in close proximity with the fabric edge while lowering it to weft receiving position it is possible to out each pick of weft closer to edge of the fabric than has been heretofore possible and has eliminated a fabric finishing operation of shearing the protruding ends of weft to an acceptable length.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand.

Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shuttleless loom in which weft yarn is inserted into the shed formed by warp yarns from a stationary source located outside of the shed and in which after insertion the weft is beat into the fabric fell by the loom reed and then trimmed by a cutter, the combination of improved cutter support means comprising:

a. movable mounting means defining a longitudinal and rotary movable spring biased rod member for supporting the cutter for movement between an inoperative position outside of the path of travel of the loom reed and an operative position for cutting the weft yarn; and

b. drive means operably connected to said spring biased rod member and to a source of motive power for moving said spring biased rod member through longitudinal and rotary movements to affect positioning the cutter in said inoperative and in said operative positions alternately.

2. The improved cutter support means according to claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a camcontrolled bellcrank lever operatively connected to said spring biased rod member for affecting movement of the cutter between its operative and inoperative positions.

3. The improved cutter support means according to claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a camcontrolled lever member fixed on said spring biased rod members for affecting rotary movement of the latter and actuation of the cutter when in its operative position. 

1. In a shuttleless loom in which weft yarn is inserted into the shed formed by warp yarns from a stationary source located outside of the shed and in which after insertion the weft is beat into the fabric fell by the loom reed and then trimmed by a cutter, the combination of improved cutter support means comprising: a. movable mounting means defining a longitudinal and rotary movable spring biased rod member for supporting the cutter for movement between an inoperative position outside of the path of travel of the loom reed and an operative position for cutting the weft yarn; and b. drive means operably connected to said spring biased rod member and to a source of motive power for moving said spring biased rod member through longitudinal and rotary movements to affect positioning the cutter in said inoperative and in said operative positions alternately.
 2. The improved cutter support means according to claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a cam-controlled bellcrank lever operatively connected to said spring biased rod member for affecting movement of the cutter between its operative and inoperative positions.
 3. The improved cutter support means according to claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a cam-controlled lever member fixed on said spring biased rod members for affecting rotary movement of the latter and actuation of the cutter when in its operative position. 